Thinking-Rich.com

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that times are tough right now. Makes thinking rich a lot harder to do, doesn’t it?

It also makes it hard to think about luxury, when so many people are just hoping they can ride out this year with their jobs and homes intact. It may be difficult for them to see past the current crisis.

I’ve never been one to believe that being rich means having a huge disposable income. To me, wealth is more of a state of mind. That’s why I’ve never advocated scrimping in good times or bad. Saving is good thing to do, because it suggests plenty. It leaves you with a feeling of abundance, whereas scrimping seems cold and nasty, like pinching out the wick of a candle that could have given you warmth and comfort just to save the wax.

The thing with the American economy is, it’s always been brought back to strength by the actions of the American people. It’s the consumers who hold up the heavy weight of the economy and it’s small businesses and entrepreneurs with their original thoughts and streamlined plans of action that make America what it is.

So how do we continue to surround ourselves with the feeling of luxury without putting ourselves in even more financial jeopardy? It’s really not that hard, if we can modify the things that bring us comfort and the feeling of abundance, and yes, even luxury.

Simply put, bad economic times are no reason to stop thinking rich.

Whatever you do, whether you’re at top of the ladder of success or closer to the bottom rungs, you must not give up on your dreams of wealth and your habits of recognizing abundance, welcoming opportunities, thinking positive thoughts about money, and expressing your gratitude every chance you get. Your finances might not the best at this time, but if you can hold onto your millionaire mindset you can hit the ground running when this crisis breaks.

And it will break. Hold onto that truth.

While some of us might have to watch our money a little more closely, this is not a time to give up on the abundance that is around all of us and belongs to all of us.

Money will continue to flow back and forth, into and out of our lives and back into them again. This is the nature of money. Money has no value until we trade it for what we need.

Being truly rich is surrounding yourself with the beautiful things in life - the things that make you feel wealthy even if you’re not rich in the common sense of the word. This luxury that we’ve allowed ourselves in the good times doesn’t have to disappear completely in the bad. We only have to make a few adjustments.

For instance, if you’re a Starbucks or Seattle’s Best junkie, consider hooking up with a French Press and Gevalia coffee - less than a week of Corporate Coffee money can get you a month or more of some exciting blends you may find you like even better.

Don’t want to give up on having dinner out at least once a week? Look for coupons for popular restaurants that cut the bill in half or more.

There are many things you can do to keep the luxury in your life without compounding any financial jitters you may be facing. Whatever you do, don’t make money feel like a stranger in your house. Don’t close the door on abundance. Don’t give in to a scarcity mindset.

And don’t forget that some of the most comforting things in life are also free.

Never give into fear. Find luxury in your life, within your means. And keep thinking rich.

-$-

How are you doing on your goals of creating wealth? Are you making your plans and staying with them? Are you doing all you can to improve your chances of manifesting money?

If your answer is no, then it’s time for you to assess what it is that’s holding you back. One thing I see a lot of - and something I’m guilty of at times, too - is the lack of persistence. Are you stopping yourself on the path to money and success because you just can’t stick to your goals?

Napoleon Hill wrote about some of the weaknesses that tend to prevent people from being persistent in their goals. Let’s take a look at what Hill said are some signs of this self-defeating behavior.

1. Failure to recognize and to clearly define exactly what one wants.
2. Procrastination, with or without cause. (Usually backed up with a formidable array of alibis and excuses).
3. Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.
4. Indecision, the habit of “passing the buck” on all occasions, instead of facing issues squarely. (Also backed by alibis).
5. The habit of relying upon alibis instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems.
6. Self-satisfaction. There is but little remedy for this affliction, and no hope for those who suffer from it.
7. Indifference, usually reflected in one’s readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meet opposition and fight it.
8. The habit of blaming others for one’s mistakes, and accepting unfavorable circumstances as being unavoidable.
9. Weakness of desire, due to neglect in the choice of motives that impel action.
10. Willingness, even eagerness, to quit at the first sign of defeat.
11. Lack of organized plans, placed in writing where they may be analyzed.
12. The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or to grasp opportunity when it presents itself.
13. Wishing instead of willing.
14. The habit of compromising with poverty instead of aiming at riches. General absence of ambition to be, to do, and to own.
15. Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to get without giving a fair equivalent, usually reflected in the habit of gambling, endeavoring to drive “sharp” bargains.
16. Fear of criticism, failure to create plans and to put them into action, because of what other people will think, do, or say. this enemy belongs at the head of the list, because it generally exists in one’s subconscious mind, where its presence is not recognized.

Number 15 is a biggie - one we see all the time especially where making money online is concerned. We’re constantly bombarded by get-rich-quick schemes in our email and at almost every website we visit. Maybe you can get rich quick by being one of the sleazy salesmen of these offers, but you’d be doing it at the expense of the people you sell to.

Maybe I’m out of touch, but I don’t want riches if it comes at the expense of people who are so desperate to escape their poverty that they spend the little money they have on products that do nothing more than take their money and run.

Anyway, take a good look at these pitfalls to persistence and see if you can step out of these patterns to begin thinking rich and becoming rich.

-$-

It’s hard not to notice the ramped-up backlash over the concepts of positive thinking and the law of attraction lately. I think the monetary success of “The Secret” and its offshoots have much to do with that - and for the most part, I agree with the detractors.

That’s probably not something you expected to read on a site like this.

But think about it for a minute. I’m not here to bash “The Secret” specifically, but it does leap out. First of all, what they’re saying is no secret. This isn’t stuff that you should have to pay for or join some mysterious society to receive. That’s crap. The foundations of the law of attraction can be found for free all over the Internet. Search for Napoleon Hill or Wallace Wattles or any of the “New Thought” writers and only pay for the information if you want it on a CD or in paperback form. Otherwise, just print it out and enjoy. Hook up with blog writers who share their experiences and don’t expect a dime in return other than a random ad click or two.

It’s true that Hill and some of those writers are not exactly easy to read. That doesn’t mean that what they say is beyond our understanding and we need to pay somebody wiser or more virtuous to explain it to us. It’s simply that the authors lived in a different era and the language has loosened up a lot since then. You may have to read their works more than one time - or more than three times - but that doesn’t mean it’s beyond your grasp. These writers were not trying to make it hard to read or to inject hidden meaning that only special people could find. They were doing their best to share with us what they had learned and experienced.

The concept that “thoughts are things” has many critics, too. And again, for the most part I can find many reasons to agree with them. We all know and would never argue that our thoughts have an effect on us personally. How can anyone deny that constantly thinking you’re a failure or you’re stupid has an effect on your ability and desire to try new things? On the other hand, if you get up in the morning thinking “I’m going to do great today,” it’s actually kind of hard not to do great.

But are thoughts really things? I mean, can they really cause a result to come about out there in the world outside our brains?

In my experience, yes, they can. But never when I just sit on my butt at home and think happy thoughts. For thoughts to be things they require action. They require expression. It does me no good to think about the fact that by giving more I will receive more if I don’t actually give anything. Gratitude unexpressed is dead on the vine. Abundance not acted upon is emptiness.

Think of the truth in James Ray’s response, when asked on The Early Show if the secret of The Secret is “ask — believe — receive,” Ray said, “Well that’s one of the author’s interpretations. I believe that you have to think, feel, and act …”

Let’s give ourselves a break here for a moment and pull away from the negativity on the one hand and the money grubbing on the other. If you believe in the law of attraction and you can make it work for you, then ignore the criticism. Success is its own reward. There are people out there who will never believe in the power of thought - even if they are currently using it and benefiting from it - and it’s a waste of your power and mental energy to try and convince them. Keep your strength within and use it to better your life and the world around you in whatever ways you can. Use your own yardstick to measure your success, not someone else’s.

And when someone tries to drain away your money by offering you secrets, just walk away. There are so many people out here sharing the light that you don’t have to search in dark corners to find it. You are being asked to pay for the key to a door that’s already wide open. Please, save your money and your sanity; these inflated promises only lead to deflated dreams. Don’t drink the Kool Aid.

Protect your spirit while it’s growing, but realize that detractors can help us receive clarity about this world we’re immersing ourselves in. When they point out the stupidity of cult-like behavior, ignoring reality and far-fetched claims, they expose exactly what we need to avoid.

And what do you know? Their thoughts become things despite themselves. And their thoughts can have a wonderful effect on us when we use them to clarify our own thoughts and actions. Let’s be grateful for that.